A Bloke to Consider
by LadyCerise1891
Summary: Hermione wanted one summer at the Weasley's to be normal. But, hormones, teenage boys and a very confusing proposition are the final nails in the coffin of that dream. Why was 15 so confusing? A/U. All muggle. One-Shot.


Hermione Granger had spent the last four years of her life in utter frustration. She'd been attending Hogwarts academy since she was 11 and the school itself was wonderful. She even made friends for the first time in her young life. The problem was, well, boys were dumb.

"Ronald!" She had taken Ginny up on her offer of visiting at the Burrow for the summer but was naturally regretting before dinner. "Don't you continue with that line of conversation. You'll not like what my right hand'll do to you."

The boy in question was going rather red in the face, having just been thoroughly slapped. Her left hand remained in the air, just the moment before having landed solidly on his cheek. The topic of snark and immature jibes, her cat, was watching from the arm of the couch with a small purr of satisfaction being the accompaniment to the ticking grandfather clock in the otherwise silent room.

"Hell, 'Moine. I heard that from over here." Harry broke the silence, a nervous chuckle and audible gulp breaking his poor sarcasm. "Ron didn't mean anything by it."

She whirled in his direction, certain from the cry of shock that her hair had gotten Ron as she turned. "You, too. Both of you lay off Crookshanks or there will be no peace for either of you."

Then Ron opened his mouth, once again. "Oh, like it gets worse?"

Hermione felt herself bristle and her cheeks heat with her frustration. "I'm going for a walk." Harry began to rise from his place on the window seat, ready to set his holiday curriculum aside and go with her. "Alone."

She left as calmly as she could, marching straight passed Molly and Ginny in the garden. She walked, humid summer air clinging to her exposed arms and making her hair frizz more than usual. She walked until the Burrow was a only an ant sized figurine in the distance.

Then she screamed. She knew they could probably still hear her, anger making her outcry shrill. As the angry tears began to build up, though, she found she didn't care.

"Damn, you Ronald."

"Agreed."

"Here, here."

She froze, rage turning into a hard lump in her stomach. "Oh." She turned, surprise making her almost lose her footing in haste to face her unwanted companions. "Fred. George. How, um-?"

"Nice?"

"I think she meant, "wonderful," George." Fred smirked and nudged his brother who mirrored his expression. "Summers gonna be a good one now that the handsome Weasley's are home, right Granger."

"No. I'm quite done with Weasley men for the summer thank you." She began to turn from them but stopped. "I thought you were spending the rest of the summer with Lee? Doesn't matter. Why are you lot such prats? Like, utter bastards! Be honest."

The boys shared a look before George took her left arm and wheeled her around so the three of them were now moving away from the house. Further up the field they went, Fred following his brothers lead and looping her right arm with his. They walked for a moment in silence as the twins seemed to be having a psychic conversation she could never be privy to.

"What has Ickle-Ronniekins done now?"

She huffed at the simultaneously asked question, two voices becoming one surround sound assault. "He's been on me all morning. I got in last night. He and Harry were both pleasant and we were getting on great. Today, though, he's been in a right twist. First my hair, then my clothes, then that I got my summer course work done and so on so forth. I was handling it fine-"

"By that you mean you virbrating-"

"-blood trickling out of your ears-"

"-But he decided to have a go at your cat." She gave a growl of frustration and they nodded in unison. "Sounds about right."

Fred nudged her side, "Ron is a daft prat. He likes you too much to see sense. While you're just trying to manage being friends with him-"

"-he's still functioning on sandbox level flirting capabilities." George shot his brother a look, and Fred shrugged. "There's a reason most girls at school date older. The boys in your grade level are hopeless."

Hermione sighed and looked between the two. "But, you asked Angelina out just fine last year, Fred. Why are you more mature, when Ron can't even manage breathing with out being rude to me? If he likes me so much, I mean."

Fred guffawed so loud, birds in the near by tree line flew up at the sound. "Yeah, I did that for George. He was so nervous he could barely be around her with out saying something stupid. I only dated her to get him off his ass and do it himself."

"Oh!" She turned to look at George. "And are you dating now."

The other twin blushed. "Granger, romance isn't an exact science. It takes time. Good relationships have a solid foundation of friendship and trust."

"Right. So, didn't work, then." She subconsciously tightened her grip on their respective arms. "I thought, after how outraged he was that I had that little affair Krum last year he wouldn't be so pig-headed. Seems to be a family trait, though."

She nudged them both and the extracted herself. "I need to be alone for a mo. But, thank you. I actually am happy you came back when you did. We need something to diffuse the tension, I think."

There momentary silence put a seed of unease in her stomach. "Oh? Well don't you worry, Granger. We have many ideas on how to ease the tension."

Then they passed her, heading toward the house at her back. George nudged her and Fred squeezed her arm. She didn't know why, but that had been their main form of both greeting and farewell to her since her first time visiting the Burrow the summer of her third year attending Hogwarts. George would nudge and Fred would steady.

She stood where she was, mind a mess. Those two had only been able to distract her for a moment before the tears of frustration came back. She began walking back to the Burrow when they dried up.

If Ron didn't fancy her, the least he could do was be a decent friend. She didn't feel that was too much to ask. She was so confused about her own feelings for him, though, that she came to the conclusion to let the internal debate be shelved. More consideration and study was what she needed.

"Hermione, dear! Supper's ready." She walked into the dining room and took her seat between Harry and Ginny. "We're just waiting on Arthur. He dropped the twins off but had to make a run into town."

She thanked Mrs. Weasley and automatically leaned back so Ginny could get a good peripheral of Harry. She was taking a drink of water when her foot was nudged. Her eyes shot up, glass poised at her lips. The twins were across from her, but George gave a subtle nod to his right and Fred nudged her, again.

She furrowed her brow, prepared to ask what they were up to, but paused. George flicked his finger over his lips, and Fred signalled her to look down. She gave a quick glance under the table and saw a folded piece of paper just visible under his foot. She internally groaned and knocked her silverware onto the floor. She picked up the utensils and note without fuss.

"I'll just go wash these up. Be back in a jiff." She quickly scanned the note once she was a safe distance away and sighed. "Damn."

When she made her way back to her seat, Mr. Weasley was at the head of the table, tucked in and chatting with Harry. She took the moment of distraction to divert her course and hiss her consent to the twins. George nudged. Fred squeezed her leg.

Dinner went on as usual. She felt bad when the twins gave Ron a bit more harassment than usual. She felt worse that it made her feel better.

After dinner she waited for roughly ten minutes before following the twins up stairs. "Took you long enough." She waved off their unified false irritation and sat down on the floor in front of them. "Really, we thought you cared about education?"

She took the proffered course book with an exasperated sigh. "You two wouldn't need help if you would just apply yourselves?" They snorted as one. "Right. Thought not. Now, according to what your note said, you need to have chapters 1 through 10 done by the beginning of term. Have you gone over the study guide?"

They looked at her with matching looks of concern. "What was I thinking? Hand it over and let's get a move on."

The following morning, Ginny gave her grief for sleeping through they're scheduled morning run. Hermione had only done it partially on purpose. The study session with the twins had run later than she had hoped. They'd interrupt at random intervals to ask her opinion on ideas for their quickly broadening line of invented pranks and jokes. She didn't mind so much, it just meant for a later night.

"Really, 'Moine. The twins don't really need the help, you've said so yourself many times." Hermione shrugged as she dried her hair, having headed straight for the shower when she got back from her solo run. "And why is it secret?"

"Cause dearest Ronald would never let me hear the end of it. And, no, they don't need my help but their so focused on their shop idea they can't focus unless you force them. They need to at least graduate."

Ginny nodded reluctantly and let Crookshanks climb on her lap since his owner was busy getting dressed. They were silent, the sounds of Brittany Spears filling the void. Hermione could tell the red head had a question.

"They skipped a year to rub it in Percy's face. They've spent the last 6 years repairing the damage. It's just weird that ever since the end of term last year they're trying to now undo that damage, as well. It seems like an odd and unexpected 180, doesn't it?"

Hermione shrugged. "They have to graduate."

Crookshanks gave a cry of disagreement when Ginny. "Don't get me wrong. I'm forever in your debt for helping them. They don't show it, but I can tell it's a relief for them."

Hermione smirked. "You went running with Harry this morning. I think you're more in my debt then you let on."

Ginny blushed and shoved Hermione out of the bed room they shared. They went down to the den to hang with the boys after that. Hermione was silently pleased that the twins were acting as enough of distraction for Ron that he was at least friendly to her.

When the first week was nearing its end, Hermione had been on so many contemplative walks she wondered why her legs didn't fall off. The tension, though having lessened, was not gone. Ron was civil enough, but the twins some how made it worse while simultaneously distracting them from it. There was charge in the air, constantly.

Fred would nudge her foot under the table constantly after that first night. It sent a thrill through her leg and straight to her heart. The seed of unease was blossoming in her stomach and making her queasy. She was constantly jumpy whenever they were at the table, worried that someone would see the interaction and get the wrong idea. Her days were spent with Ginny and Harry trying to keep thinks peaceful between her and Ron, and her nights were spent tutoring the twins.

Molly finally had had enough, she figured, and ordered everyone to be ready for school shopping on Sunday. Hermione called her parents and they arranged to meet in London. Ginny was thoroughly embarrassed when her mother openly stated that she needed new knickers due to puberty hitting her much like a freight train.

She hid in the twins room with Hermione that night while the three continued with their study sessions. She was mortified and out for blood. The twins were beside themselves with mirth, on the other hand, and Hermione was steadily becoming a traitor in her friend's eyes as she snickered at their jibes at their sisters expense.

"Oh, Ginny. It really is unfortunate." She shot the boys a look and tried to conceal her smirk. "Most unfortunate since you can't complain that Harry doesn't know that you're a girl now. There's no way he could deny that you have the proper bits now that he has verbal confirmation from your mum that your current selection of bras just aren't up to the task anymore."

Ginny gave a cry of war and tossed a football at her head. The group dissolved into laughter, though. Which was a relief, even if Ginny's was borderline manic.

"You're terrible. You two are corrupting her!" She glared at her brothers as they denied her claim, but a look passed over Fred's face that caused the unknown plant in Hermione's stomach to twitch. "Oh, sure. Actually, no. You're right. She's always been like this."

Ginny grab the ball that had rolled back her way after bouncing off Hermione's head. "She's just usually better at keeping her trap shut." The ball sailed gently at the aforementioned girls head, again. "Let's Harry handle the sarcasm."

Hermione let a look of hurt flit across her face and made to stand from her place on the floor. "You're right. I'll grab him, shall I? Should be enlightening having his take on all this."

Ginny howled and tackled the girl. The twins ceased their laughter instantly and shushed her. Ginny had the decency to look sheepish but visibly bulked at the scolding look Fred shot her. George's was less severe an Hermione could see a question blooming her mind.

"You'll have to keep it down, Sis. We don't want to be caught trying."

"Yeah. Mom would never let us hear the end of it."

The next morning Hermione was interrupted as she was making her way back to the house after her morning run. Fred, sans George, was steadily blocking her path a little ways from the Burrow. They stood for a moment as she turned off her her Walkman and returned his cautious smile. He nodded back up the path and she turned to walk with him.

"Are you okay? Is George okay?" He nodded and rubbed the back of his neck. "What's wrong, Fred?"

He blew out a breath, the sound of it like he was a balloon that was deflating before being tied off. "Alright, my brother is a git. For starters. For another, so is George and lastly, so am I." He looked at her, something like hope shining for just a moment in his blue eyes until he raised his gaze to the heavens. "Look, just don't focus on Ron this year. You don't need the stress. Maybe?"

She followed him as they took a long looping path back to his house. "I wasn't planning on giving Ron more attention than necessary, but sure? What's this about, really?"

"Just that maybe you should give another bloke a chance." He squeezed her upper arm. "Like, maybe I could be a bloke. And you could give this bloke a consideration?"

She was stunned into silence as she followed him into the house. Ron was in the den with Harry and Ginny. He gave his brother a hard glance and then her. She watched as his ears began redden.

"What's that all about, now?"

She squared her shoulders and marched passed him to the stairs she could get ready for the drive into London. "I don't see how it's any of your concern, Ronald." He sputtered and she paused at the stares. "If you must know, which I'm assuming you do, your brother was just giving me an opportunity to consider in the coming year. And he was rather convincing."

That was a lie. His argument was that he was a boy and could be considered. And it was probably just something to entertain him until school started, again. still the plant in her stomach seemed to bloom just a little more, slowly working its way up her chest cavity.

They took two cars into London, Harry, Ron and Hermione riding with with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny in the second car. The boys kept shooting her looks as she conversed easily with the younger girl. She stubbornly ignored the awkward silent demands for explanation.

Her parents met them at the cafe they had planned for lunch and the day was spent going through the shops, preparing for the year to come. They stayed in town that night, as did her parents and they all got breakfast together the following morning before heading back to the Burrow for the remainder of their summer holiday.

Fred didn't mention the "I'm a bloke," incident the following week. It was both a relief and let down. She'd been equally afraid that she would be right as she was that she would be proven wrong. It was becoming more clear as the departure date for school neared that she was just a passing summer entertainment for the attractive twin.

"You think Fred's the good looking one." She finally confiding in Ginny as she finished packing to head home before the holiday was over. "Really? They look exactly the same."

"No they don't." Her blush deepened as Ginny smirked at her quick response. "Well, they just don't. George is more reserved. Fred is more open. On the surface. They're both rather smart and guarded, but they aren't the same. Ask Harry. He sees the difference."

"He thinks Fred is the good looking one? That explains so much!" Hermione huffed and threw a pillow at the red head. "I'm kidding. And that was test. You have it bad. All he said was that you could distract yourself thinking about him. Sounds like a standard line."

Hermione picked up her pack and nodded. "Suppose you're right. Still, the way he said it was off? Maybe." Ginny gave her a skeptical shrug. "You're right. Still, it did its job. I've been thoroughly distracted from thinking about Ron. Shall we go? Walk me to the bus stop?"

The two girls left, saying good bye to Ron and Harry as they went. Ginny snatched her bike as they began walking down the path to the bus station in Ottery St. Catchpole. They talked about nonsense, Hermione deftly evading the subject of any of the Weasley boys. Ginny was frustrated and clearly wanting to continue to pester the older girl about her growing cause of unease, but would take up any topic her friend divert to.

"I'll see you at the station, Ginny."

They hugged and Hermione boarded to head back to Essex. She was happy when she lay her head on her own pillow that night. She rang Ginny the next day after breakfast to confirm that she had made it home and go over the times for the train ride out to the country side, toward Hogwarts.

That last weekend was dually lazy and frantic. Time with her parents before leaving, packing and rechecking assignments and reading notes keeping her busy. Still, she found herself ringing the Burrow the night before the departure date, as always.

Her friend sounded winded. "You okay?" The girl frowned as she heard a thud and sigh from the other end of the line. "Ginny?"

"Sorry. Had to make a mad dash to my room. The twins are freaking out. Well, one is freaking out. The other is putting on a right good show to throw off the audience so no one catches on to the sub plot. Quite comedic dinner theatre at mine, these days."

Hermione looked at the phone in confusion. "I have no clue what you mean. The twins are taking up theatre? As, like, an extra curricular this term or something?"

Ginny huffed and the muted sound of springs under distress came down the line. "Sure. Pretend oblivious. No matter. Excited to get back?"

Hermione let out the breathe she didn't know she'd been holding. "Sure am. I can only imagine how happy you'll be to get away from the folks for a bit."

Her friend snorted. "And you aren't!"

When Hermione hung up she was exhausted and didn't remember climbing into bed. Her alarm went off an hour early so she could ride her bike into town to get a pastry and tea from her favourite cafe before she was sequestered to the old boarding school until winter holiday. When she got home it was just in time to get her things together and leave.

"He's a bloke, too. Maybe."

"What was that, dear?" Her mum turned in the passenger seat to look at her with a bit of concern in her eyes. "You've been awfully distracted since you stayed at the Weasley's. Are you alright? Are things okay with your mates?"

She nodded and deflected the conversation. She made a mental note to watch her thoughts this term. At least until Fred made it clear that he was done with his little side joke. She had decided she wasn't mad at him. It had been useful in keeping her from killing his little brother.

If she was being honest, with at least herself, she had enjoyed the small attentions he had paid her. The more frequent touches to her arm, tugging her hair to get her attention. The nudge of her foot at meals when she was ready to stab Ron with a fork, or when she would get lost in her thoughts.

He seemed to have been tuned in to her frequency. He would interrupt right when she needed a commercial break to the constant noise in her head. It was the trick the twins used to plan they're pranks and jokes, she'd realised.

She met Ginny at the platform, joking known as 9 3/4 after there had been a printing error with their batch of tickets the year Harry, Ron and she had started at the school. The girls chatted as they worked their way through the crowd. Parents made small talk then tried, and failed fantastically, to not get emotional as they said their good byes until winter holiday. Promises to write were exchanged and the girls boarded to train.

She found Harry and Ron's compartment and said farewell to the younger girl. "Where's she off to?" Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron as harry helped to got her things squared away. "What's that look for?"

"She knows she can sit with us, right? I mean, I thought we made real progress this summer before I went to stay with Sirius." Her look of exasperation softened when she turned it on Harry. "Didn't we? What'd she say when you two phoned each other? She's gone from having a crush on me to finding me utterly dull, hasn't she?"

She gave a small chuckle. "No, Harry. She thinks you're well on your way to being friends. She's just gone to sit with Michael." She raised her brows and emphasised the other boy's name. Ron contributed no sign that he'd got the hint, where as Harry's eyes widened. "Her boyfriend."

Ron was in a state after that and Harry was preoccupied rationally working out why this was fine and didn't bother him at all. She noted as she read in relative peace, Crookshanks curled on her lap, that he eventually started arguing why it did bother him. Her lips twitched when he began breaking down for Ron how he thought of the youngest Weasley as a sister.

She wasn't interrupted until the door to their cabin was opened and her book was removed from her hands. An anger built in her stomach but quelled just as quickly when she saw who had snatched it. The twins bellowed a greeting and Fred winked at her.

"Hey Fred, George." Harry seemed grateful for the distraction as Ron was no longer mad but looking at him like he was a hippogryph. "Caused any mayhem yet?"

"Now, now, Harry. You got two perfects in your car. Can't have the future leaders of man reporting us before term even starts." Fred nudged in beside Hermione and threw his arm casually on the seat back behind her, tugging her hair once he was settled. Her blooming stomach ulcer knocked at her heart. "Say, Granger. Nice move sneaking off without a good bye Friday morning."

"And here we thought you had taken a liking to us. Borderline tolerance, we were thinking. Sure proved us fools. Very cold, Granger."

George took the seat next to Ron and made sure to be a nuisance about it for his brothers sake. She had to give it to them, they were a good tag team at keeping people from noticing the havoc being wrecked by them. She heard a cough to her right, and felt the horrific realisation that Harry had made it a point to not be distracted. Her mouth dry as he looked pointedly at Fred's fingers drumming a beat on her shoulder.

"But we've discussed-"

"-At length-"

"-And we forgive you." She smiled indulgently as they finished as one. "You're welcome!"

"What are you, two doing here? Don't bother us. We're very busy." He looked to Harry and Hermione for support. "Private car, right?"

"Oi! Don't get your knickers in a twist. We came to let you know we just finished thoroughly harassing Ginny and Michael."

Fred nodded solemnly, then purposefully and quite theatrically shook her shoulder. "Also, I gave Granger a thing or two to consider over summer and I was coming to see if she'd spared a thought."

Everyone in the car looked pointedly at her. She swallowed, throat dry and avoided all gazes before looking at Harry pleadingly. He shrugged and nodded at the boy on her other side. She contained a cringe and slowly considered Fred.

He was smirking, but the lines that usually appeared around his eyes when he was in good humour weren't there. He was serious. Had been serious. It was then she finally let her brain work the equation out.

The unease she'd been feeling all summer had only been partly that. And only mostly in the beginning, when the plant inside her had been but a seed of consideration. No, now it was something else, a small bit of it being pure terror at what the whole of the plant was.

She right fancied Fred Weasley. Had since her third year. Sure, in the beginning she'd admired the twins in an odd, horrified way when they would pull off their stunts at school and rile up teachers. Now, it seemed, she'd begun to see Fred as the good looking twin before she even realised it. A small thing, was how it started. A prank in her defence on the bully of their year. Then it had lay undisturbed, but ever waiting, nursing itself until Fred made her consider what was happening.

"And?"

"What's he on about, Hermione." Ron's ears were red as ever, temper ready to break. "Answer him so they'll bugger off."

"Ronald." He was ready to rage, she could see it and didn't care. She was itching for a row, herself, to get rid of her own flustered attitude. "Your brothers a bloke."

She met Fred's eyes and let the corners of her mouth lift, but only a fraction. "You're a bloke. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that before. Best get on with it now or I will think your up to something and report it to McGonagall so she can have a search done of your things."

Fred nodded and George sighed in relief. "Now that that's dealt with, we do have to be off. There are some snakes on the other end of the train we need to rile up. Right, Gred?"

"Too true, Forge. Shall we?" He squeezed her her arm and George nudged her knee. "See you lot at dinner. Bye, Granger. Don't put too much thought to this, Ronniekins. You'll probably never understand."

Hermione huffed and gave their backs a reproachful look as they left the car. Ron yelled after them, demanding an explanation. Hermione bristled that Fred had kept her book, but rather than go get it simply dug another one out of her night pack. Harry just laughed until Ron shifted his frustration toward him.

"What was that about? Don't shrug. You know something." Harry raised his hands in defence. "Well, Hermione? What's going on? What did my idiot brothers want?"

She placed a finger on her page and shut her book with a loud clap. "I believe I told you. And them! Simultaneously, in fact. Fred is a bloke." She forcefully reopened her book and went back to her reading. "Not sure you are, though, Ronald. There are days much like this, and too numerous to count, when you act more like a bumbling buffoon."

She would get a thorough scolding from Harry later, she considered. He was left to try and tactfully calm their friend down. The good thing about Ron was that when he was mad at her, especially when she was likewise at him, he would leave her be. But poor Harry. He had no idea, and she could tell, how to explain why Fred was suddenly a bloke, or what that even meant.


End file.
